NRS-15308 | Specifications for locomotives, rolling stock and other equipment

Full description

These specifications were issued by the Locomotive Engineer, later the Chief Mechanical Engineer, for tenders for the construction of locomotives, rolling stock, and other equipment.

The specifications generally include specification number, contract number, description of components to be supplied, sometimes including blueprints, closing date for tender, form of tender, name of contractor, and quantity ordered. In some cases the form of contract signed by the contractor is included.

From 1881 until 1936 the specifications were cumulated and bound, usually with an index at the front of the volumes. Prior to and after this the specifications consist of booklets and loose papers in folders. The specifications are not complete, with gaps present throughout the number range.


Custody History

From 1955 until 2000 the State Rail Authority of New South Wales maintained an ‘in house archives’ consisting of the archival records of the Authority, its predecessor agencies and the private railway companies taken over by the government. The date ranges of the records were from 1849 until 2000. When the decision was made to close the ‘State Rail Archives’ the parts of the collection that were required as State archives were transferred to the State Records Authority of NSW. Those record series were incorporated into the State Records series system of archives control and were re-numbered.

This series was formerly part of the State Rail Archives collection where it was identified as series R90. It may have been viewed in the State Rail Archives as series R90 and could have been previously cited as such in notes by researchers at State Rail Archives or in publications or unpublished works.